Condition

1
Broch??
Prehistoric
Orkney

Description

Very substantial drystone structure visible in section in coast edge, standing c.2m high. The structure has been half-sectioned by the sea. It appears to have intramural spaces or passages and could be a broch-type building, or even a chambered tomb? The presence of midden and archaeological material would lend more support to the former interpretation. The visible deposits cover a stretch of c.12m, and may continue to the north, but modern dumping obscures this part of the section. The southern part of the section contains a very large, curving double-faced wall, c.3m wide, with a possible intramural space. The faces of the wall stand up to c.1m high in section, and large stones eroded out on the beach follow the projected line along both the inner and outer faces. The projected line of the outer face of this wall is in line with a ridge of bedrock forming the foreshore here. The interior of the structure appears to have been divided into compartments by a series of piers constructed of coursed drystone walls and very large orthostats (c.2m high). The walls are surrounded by rubble and collapsed walling and c.1m of midden deposits containing bone, shell, charcoal flecks and fire-cracked stone in a peat ash matrix. The curving outer wall visible on the south side of the structure appears to suggest that more than half of the building has been lost to erosion, with less than half remaining behind the coast edge, although a slight mound behind the section indicates the site's location. Extensive tipping over coast edge (presumably as an ad hoc coastal defence) has obscured the northern side of the site, though intermittent areas of stonework and large slabs are visible in section among the modern rubble and very large slabs on the foreshore may be the eroding remains of further walling. The site has been very badly damaged by coastal erosion, and more than half has already been lost.

Location

375853.00
1043810.00
27700
59.2800827
-2.4254847

Submitted photographs

Image Date Caption User
June 2018: structures in section 29/06/2018 June 2018: structures in section joannahambly
June 2018: structures in section
Detail of outer wall with possible intramural structure 21/04/2013 Detail of outer wall with possible intramural structure joannahambly
Detail of outer wall with possible intramural structure
Detail of interior of structure in Sept 2017 21/04/2013 Detail of interior of structure in Sept 2017 joannahambly
Detail of interior of structure in Sept 2017
Site in Sept 2017 21/04/2013 Site in Sept 2017 joannahambly
Site in Sept 2017
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, general view of the site and coast edge 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, general view of the site and coast edge training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, general view of the site and coast edge
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, general view of the site in section 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, general view of the site in section training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, general view of the site in section
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, showing the section through the curving wall; the inner and outer faces and the intramural space with a possible corbelled cell 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, showing the section through the curving wall; the inner and outer faces and the intramural space with a possible corbelled cell training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, showing the section through the curving wall; the inner and outer faces and the intramural space with a possible corbelled cell
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, showing inner and outer faces of the curving wall 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, showing inner and outer faces of the curving wall training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, showing inner and outer faces of the curving wall
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch to the north of the section, showing the modern dumping obscuring the northern part of the section 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch to the north of the section, showing the modern dumping obscuring the northern part of the section training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch to the north of the section, showing the modern dumping obscuring the northern part of the section
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch to the north of the section 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch to the north of the section training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch to the north of the section
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch and the inner face of the wall to the south of the section 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch and the inner face of the wall to the south of the section training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch and the inner face of the wall to the south of the section
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch and the outer wall on the south side 04/05/2015 Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch and the outer wall on the south side training1
Ore Ledge Lopness Broch, view of the interior of the broch and the outer wall on the south side
Lopness 04/05/2015 Lopness Myra
Lopness
Lopness 04/05/2015 Lopness Myra
Lopness
Lopness 04/05/2015 Lopness Myra
Lopness
Lopness 04/05/2015 Lopness Myra
Lopness

Submitted updates

Update id Date User
3334 29/06/2018 EllieSCHARP
Description June 2018: As described
892 21/04/2013 Myra
Tidal state Low
Site located? Yes
Proximity to coast edge Coast edge
Coastally eroding? active sea erosion
Threats animal burrows; tipping
Visibility above ground Limited visibility (partial remains)
Visibility in section Clearly visible in section
Access accessible - difficult terrain; accessible on foot (no footpath)
Local knowledge is not locally known
Description Possible site of a Broch? Noticeable structure that looks like an inner and outer wall.
Monitor site over the seasons. Could be a good site for suitable/further investigation.

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